Adoption of Improved Cassava Varieties in Uganda: What Does Agricultural Extension Do?

Abstract

Agricultural production, especially by smallholder farmers, is often hampered byinsufficient knowledge about better farm inputs or farming practices, low adoption toimproved agricultural technologies, or low diffusion of agricultural innovations by theinventing institutions. This paper examines the role of agricultural extension to theadoption of improved cassava varieties in Uganda. We indicate for agricultural extensionusing the farmers’ reported accessibility to agricultural extension from extension workersabout such improved varieties. We use probit with selection equation on data collectedfrom eight (8) districts in Northern Uganda. Our main results indicate a higherprobability of adopting improved cassava varieties when farmers access agriculturalextension services; and also document farmers’ distrust to improved cassava varieties asa crop enterprise that can guarantee their households with food security. From a policyperspective, our results suggest that the design and content of agricultural extensionservices are important to leverage the extent of the adoption of modern agriculturaltechnologies. Specifically, improving the performance of the cassava crop enterpriserequires enhanced investment in diffusing innovations in the enterprise.JEL Classification: O12, O13, O33, Q16